


World War Tales

by WindMeister8



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War II, Black Markets, Curiosity, Diary/Journal, F/M, France (Country), French Resistance, Holocaust, Jewish Character, Post-World War II, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 17:18:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5833972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindMeister8/pseuds/WindMeister8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1942</p>
<p>In war-stricken France, elements of the Resistance undertake a successful mission but several members are forced into hiding. Two young people fall in love despite the danger lurking around every corner. Their hope for freedom are what some people might deem foolish. But they still dare to hope.</p>
<p>For without hope, life can’t go on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	World War Tales

**Author's Note:**

> **(AU Note: For maximum effect, listen to[this](http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=AmkuuutOxzQ))**

#####  _November, 1944._

#####  ___I fear my time is coming soon. The rumors have been that my block has been chosen to enter Block 11 – the place of death. There’s no point trying to escape and I’ve already resigned myself to fate. But still, I dare say I have a small sliver of hope that something will happen. I don’t know what. Maybe a jail break. Maybe the Allies will win in time. No matter how small the possibility, I don’t want to lose that hope. For without hope, life can’t go on._

#####  ___But in the case that I do die tomorrow or the day after, I at least want to pen a few parting words… even though nobody will ever read this._

#####  ___Mum, Dad. I love you with all my heart and I hope you will live your lives well._

#####  ___Nathan… I wish I had been there with you… and… I never told you this, but you were indeed my first love._ _Levi…._ _I’m sorry. You asked me before-_

“Mum! Is this the last page of the book?” The young girl with blue-green eyes called out, her tiny fingers flipping the page over as she traced the last line that was written in faded black ink. Her lips uttered the final sentence again “You asked me before”, the words dying out abruptly just like the torn page of the diary. 

“I’m sorry, dear. That’s all there is left to it,” her mum’s clear voice rang out from below.

With a soft sigh, the girl leaned back against the bedframe and stared at the ceiling, her eyes following the rose patterns of the wallpaper. Decades before she had been born, the world had been so different and yet, through moldy paper and faded ink, it was brought back to life before her eyes. Clutching the leather-bound book to her chest, she ran her hands down its spine, feeling the life that seemed to be encapsulated within it.

As she opened it once again, she took a breath of the dusty pages, comforted by its smell. It would be another five hours before the Thanksgiving dinner would begin. Before then, she would once again immerse herself in the world created by the bound pages. And with that, she started once again from the very first page of the diary… the beginning of everything.

#####  _July 15, 1942._

#####  ___It’s my first time doing something like this… but with so much time now on my hands, I guess it’s nice to put my thoughts, my emotions, my life into this book. Where should I start?_

#####  ___I guess.. from the beginning._

#####  ___My name is Cece Artemie, born in July 1919. I grew up on a small farm in Southern France. I don’t have any siblings. That doesn’t mean I’m lonely. Far from it, I’m actually quite busy everyday helping out with things on the farm… and putting up with Nathan’s nonsense._ _Speaking about Nathan, I really miss him. We were always together since young, especially given how close our homes were. Sometimes, when he vexed me with one of his cruder jokes, I used to think that it would be nice if we were farther apart. But when he did leave my side, I would realize how empty my life would be. He would tease me all the time about when we would get married and stuff. Actually, even our parents were all for that. We were close, after all. And we did love each other._

#####  ___But… I still think that was more a sibling love than an actual romance. Real, true love… is different, I think. I believe if I really loved someone in that way, I would be quite possessive. I would want him to be mine and mine alone. And I wouldn’t give him up for the world. That’s me._

#####  ___Nathan would say that true love involves sacrifice – you would do anything to make sure the other party was happy. Maybe that’s why he chose to remain fighting with the French Resistance rather than cower in hiding like me. To protect what’s more important to him than his own life.._

#####  ___I hate myself for that. Instead of helping my nation, I had to be pushed into hiding like a coward, unable to show my face in public. The sabotage that we had planned worked out well! Save the fact that now, all the military and police would be looking out for a few faces, including mine. Erwin Smith, our team leader, decided it would be best for each of us to hide for a while until the chaos died down. I argued with him over and over again, unable to accept the fact that I would now be useless baggage. But he remained stoic and now, here I am, stuck in this basement, writing this rant._

#####  ___Well, enough of that stuff. Currently, I’m being offered shelter by this group of three people. They left early in the morning, so I haven’t talked to them much. Things have been rather busy on their end, what with helping me settle in. It was a last minute arrangement after all. I was supposed to stay with Mike and his wife, Nanaba, but after they fell under suspicion, Erwin had to relocate me quickly._ _I don’t know much about these people, save the fact that they were close to Erwin and Hange. They seem like friendly and trustworthy people at first sight… well, two of them are friendly. The other one has this dark, scary face and intimidating grey eyes that seem to be peering into my soul. I honestly don’t think he knows how to smile. But he’s the leader of the three and the other two really trust and respect him. I can see why though. Despite his frightening aura, somehow I feel safe when he’s around. Like he’s always calm and in control of the situation._

#####  ___Well, I hope to get along well with them as time goes. After all, they will be the only people I’ll see for a long while. Speaking of them, I think they’re back. The sounds from above easily permeate down here. Until later then._ _July 17, 1942._

#####  ___My hands are trembling as I write this… I’m a bundle of nerves right now but writing this might help me calm down a little. Earlier, Levi (that’s the leader I mentioned previously) came down to the basement. I could see from his face that it was something serious. His body was tense and his lips were pursed together in a thin line. He told me curtly that there was a rumor that the police were rounding up Jews in the neighborhood and that I should hide immediately._ _My heart was pounding so furiously as I squeezed into the small hole in the wall. Levi’s voice was muffled but I heard him say “It’ll be fine. Just wait until one of us comes down for you.” His words brought me some comfort as I curled up in a ball, waiting for the police to come and search the place. The minutes that passed felt like an eternity. I had begun to believe that it was nothing but a rumor when suddenly, I heard loud footsteps from above. The thumping of the boots on the floor rang like thunder in my enclosed space. My breath came out in ragged gasps and I had to press my hand to my mouth, afraid that they could hear me._

#####  ___As the footsteps grew closer, I could barely contain my fear. The beating of my heart was so loud that I thought it was impossible for the police not to hear it. They searched the place for a few minutes and then left. But to me, the fear seemed to last forever. It was only when Levi knocked a sharp three raps on the wall that I dared to even open my eyes._

#####  ___I must have been a sight to see because he clicked his tongue as soon as I stumbled out of the hole. My cheeks were wet with tears and I’m pretty sure snot must have been dribbling from my nose. Still, despite his apparent disgust at my appearance, he drew closer and gripped me by my shoulders._ _“You’re safe, Cece.”_

#####  ___Those three words had a strangely calming effect on me and I could only mumble my thanks as the remnants of my fear dissipated…_ _I feel much better now after writing all this. But… will I ever be safe? I know that while the Germans occupy France, safety is just an illusion. Yet I feel a sense of security when Levi is around. I don’t know why.._

From what the young girl remembered in history class, that incident became known as the Vel’ d’Hiv roundup. The fear that had paralyzed Cece’s body was keenly felt by the young girl as if she had been present at the scene, hiding just meters away from where the police stood. Her heartbeat slowly returned to normal as she continued reading; the more mundane life of Cece Artemie providing a stark relief to the danger that she had faced.

As the days passed, Cece had found out that the three people housing her were involved in the black market, acting as middlemen between the suppliers and customers. Due to the severe rationing in the city, many people had turned to buying goods from the black market and their business was booming. Thanks to that, they had access to rare foods like meat and potatoes. For once in a long time since the war started, Cece had meals that left her full and satisfied.

During that time, she grew closer to them as well. Levi was the oldest and the leader, Farlan was around her age, and Isabel was a few years younger. From the start, she hit it off with Isabel and Farlan. Isabel spent as much time as she could with her in the basement, telling her of what was happening outside. Sometimes, she would bring flowers or pretty leaves – just something that would make the basement seem more livable. In return, Cece would read books to Isabel who had never learnt how to read or write. At times, her animated voice would capture the attention of the two guys and both Farlan and Levi would sit around and listen to her. When her supply of books ran out, Farlan would bring her more. There were tons of books that had been confiscated from the homes of Jews and those made its way to the black market and into her hands.

Besides reading, Cece also picked up a new hobby from Farlan – cards. He knew almost every card game and had mastery over a few card tricks. When he wasn’t helping Levi with the goods, he would play a few games with her or teach her a new trick. Although she would occasionally win, it was mostly due to luck. Farlan had one of the most cunning minds she had seen and he was exceptionally good with his hands.  

It was Levi that she had the most trouble communicating with. No matter how hard she tried to make conversation, he always gave a bare minimum answer. He was like a hard rock that would not budge. When she confided in Farlan and Isabel, they told her that it was hard for him to grow closer to other people, especially given his cold and harsh behavior.  It wasn’t until July 26, Cece’s birthday, that an odd incident would change her relationship with Levi…

#####  _July 26, 1942._

#####  ___It’s my birthday today! Boy, has a lot of good things happened to me. I don’t know how they found out but Levi, Farlan, and Isabel gave me a surprise today at dinner. Somehow, Farlan managed to get ahold of half a turkey and he roasted that juicy meat to sweet perfection. If times were better, he should have been a chef – so full were we that even Levi himself felt slightly unwilling to get up to wash the dishes!_

#####  ___Then, cute little Isabel meekly gave me a rare book that she had scavenged from the ruins of the recent bombings. It must have been tough on her because when I glanced at her hands, she hurriedly hid them behind her back, not wanting me to see the bruises and scratches that she obtained from searching in the rubble. As if that weren’t enough, she had written “Happy Birthday, Cece” on the first page in big, uneven letters. I was just starting to teach her how to write and I know how long it must have took for her to write just those three words. I felt so touched… Thinking about it now, I’m already blinking back tears._

#####  ___And to top it off, Levi gave me the best gift I could hope for – a letter from Nathan and my friends in the Resistance. I knew we were forbidden to make contact with any of the members of the Resistance. Erwin had insisted that there would be complete silence from both sides, especially given the effort that the police were putting in to finding us. I’m guessing things weren’t very cordial between the two men when Levi took it upon himself to deliver a message from my comrades to me. It was a huge risk and Levi had put himself in danger… for me._ _It makes my heart flutter every time I think of that and I wonder what I can do to thank him for that._

#####  _Speaking of which, I need to mention the “small” incident that happened after dinner when Farlan and Isabel left to deliver some goods. I was starting to read the book that Isabel gave me when all of a sudden, Levi burst into the basement and slammed the door shut with such ferocity that the ceiling shook. I was worried that the police were onto us and I rushed towards him, wanting to know more. When he turned to face me, I was shocked by his ashen face and the look of dread in his eyes. I feared the worst had come. It was then that he stuttered out a single word._

#####  ___“Bee.”_

#####  ___I was utterly confused and I had to shake him hard by the shoulders a few times before I could get a coherent sentence out of him. When it finally became clear what had bothered him so much, I laughed so hard until tears sprang from my eyes. As it turned out, the formidable, unshakeable Levi had an allergy to bees! He had been running away from this single bee that had entered the house and found sanctuary in my basement._

#####  ___Even though his glare would normally send shivers down my spine, this time I couldn’t help but laugh at his furious expression. Still, he continued staring me down until I stopped laughing._ _“Would you please go up there and get rid of that abomination?” he asked coldly._

#####  ___As I wiped away the tears from my eyes, I hiccupped a loud “Sure”. But then, an idea struck me. This was the first time he was asking a favor of me. A big favor._ _“Well, I’ll take care of the bee,” I said and Levi sighed in relief._

#####  ___“But,” I added, “only on one condition.”_

#####  ___His scowl deepened, wondering what horrendous job I had in store for him._

#####  ___I cleared my throat and tried to sound as authoritative as I could. “From now on, whenever I ask you something, no matter how uncomfortable you are with the question, you will have to answer me. Truthfully.”_

#####  ___He raised his eyebrows, puzzled at my weird request. “Is that all?”_

#####  ___“Yeah!” I answered immediately, slightly regretting it as soon as I opened my mouth. Maybe I should have asked for more._

#####  ___I could see a small smirk tugging at his lips as he replied “Deal”. I got rid of the bee and now, all remains to be seen as to whether he keeps his promise…_

As it turned out, Levi was one to keep his words. Cece sprang at the opportunity to bombard him with tons of questions that she had yearned to ask. She started with simple things like his favorite color, favorite food, favorite music. He thought her questions were silly and he answered them easily. But as they talked about their favorite singer or the secret ingredient in Farlan’s food, Levi’s heart began to open up to her. Slowly but steadily, he was growing comfortable with her just as how he was around Farlan and Isabel.

The topics soon took on a more personal theme as the two grew more curious about each other. Cece took utmost care in broaching the topic of Levi’s personal history but by that time, she had already earned his trust and he was perfectly fine with telling her about the gritty details of his past. She learned that he had become an orphan when he was at the tender age of eight. Forced onto the streets to beg, he joined forces with a sweet, young girl named Petra whose brilliant smile brought in more money. In return, he fended off the bigger bullies who preyed on their keep. They took care of one another and watched out for each other’s backs. 

As they grew older, Petra became enchanted with the ideals of the Resistance, swayed by the persuasive speeches given by its leader, Erwin. Both of them joined in, although Levi did so begrudgingly. Survival was more important to him than nationalism. But as the war progressed and he saw more and more children standing on the street, he was moved into action – joining the black market instead and carving out a niche for himself. He met Farlan and Isabel there and had been instantly offered a partnership by the shrewd Farlan.

Cece listened intently as he told her about his life, his interests, and his dreams. He had a knack with mechanical and electronic objects, repairing almost everything in the house by himself and even fashioning his own gadgets that could be used in the household. Cece was captivated by his seemingly complex nature yet simple character, his constant frown that only served to emphasize his strength, his rare smile that she found adorable, his even rarer laugh that seemed to lighten her spirit… The list simply went on. But she wasn’t the only one that was falling in love.

As Levi found out more about Cece, he found herself being sucked in by her optimism, her indomitable spirit, and cheery personality. She was so much like Petra – kind, devoted to the cause of the Resistance. Yet she was so different. From her childish actions around close friends to her limitless curiosity, everything about her was simply endearing to him.

Their new-found love did not go unnoticed by Farlan and Isabel who constantly teased them about it. They never admitted their feelings out loud but it wasn’t because they did not know about the other’s feelings towards them, but rather it was the constant sense of danger that prevented them from developing a deep attachment. 

Besides, Cece’s stay at the trio’s place was already coming to an end. The agreement was to keep her in hiding for a period of six months or until the police had let up on their case. In a way, Cece felt glad to be able to live on the surface of the Earth again; to be able to feel the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair. But a part of her would miss living together with Isabel, Farlan… and Levi. They agreed to visit each other often but she knew things would be different. Sometimes, she wished she could just stay with them a little longer… and that wish was soon to be fulfilled on a blustery day in December 1942.

#####  _December ? 1942._

#####  ___Nathan_ _is dead…_

The entire diary had been exceedingly well-kept, its pages – although worn with age – were still smooth and soft. But that page, with its three little words, was rough and brittle. Little bumps decorated its surface, carved out by teardrops that had fallen incessantly from the eyes of Cece Artemie, each hill speaking a hundred words.

It was only later in subsequent diary entries that the whole story came together. On December 19, Erwin had paid them a solemn visit. Thinking that he was bringing her back to the Resistance earlier than expected, Cece had playfully punched him in the shoulder, causing a letter to fall out from his loosely hanging coat.

As she picked it up, Erwin spoke in a grave voice. “I’m sorry, Cece. It’s his letter to you-“

She couldn’t hear the rest of his speech as she hurriedly tore the envelope open and read the first line of the paper with trembling hands. Tears blurred her vision but she got through the rest of the letter at lightning speed. Swirling around to face Erwin, she fixed her glare at him.

“What’s this, Erwin?”

His cold blue eyes stared back at her without a trace of emotion, although she could see that his eyebrows were knit in a way that meant he was holding his feelings in check.

He spoke steadily, breaking the news of Nathan’s death during the latest mission. As usual, he added the usual speech of their deaths not being meaningless and that they died as heroes… but she wasn’t listening to any of that.

“My deepest condolences to the both of you,” he ended.

Wiping her tears away with the corner of her sleeve, Cece straightened her back and looked him straight in the eye. “When’s the next mission?”

Erwin hesitated before replying carefully, “You’re not going on any mission, Cece. In fact, you’re going to remain here until the war is over.”

“W-wait, what?” Cece exclaimed, her hands balling into fists at her side.

Heaving a deep sigh, Erwin explained, “Nathan’s dying wish was for me to keep you safe.”

Cece searched his eyes furiously for a sign that he was lying, that he wasn’t serious about keeping her here any longer, but she found none. She was a mess of emotions but she felt she couldn’t sit here and let Nathan’s killers – her country’s invaders – run scot free. That just didn’t seem right. Someone had to take responsibility for the murder of her best friend, for the mess of emotions that were tearing her up inside.

“No. You have to let me go. You-“

Erwin gripped her shoulders, preventing her from barreling through him and out the front door. “Cece, I promised him,” he said softly.

This time, she could see the sadness in his eyes, mirrored back by her own sorrow. But it only made her more furious at him for stopping her from taking her revenge. More so, it made her mad at Nathan for wishing that she were kept hidden in a cage.

“Why are you listening to that bastard?? I don’t care what he made you promise. Just let me go-“

Erwin’s sudden embrace immediately stilled her whole body. 

“Nathan’s gone, Cece,” he whispered in her ear.

#####  _December 22, 1942._

#####  ___He’s gone. What does that mean… to be gone? Is he still out there somewhere, listening to me crying? Is this what he wanted for me – a life of living with my head down, shutting myself off from the world?_

#####  ___I don’t…. know anymore. I never once thought that Nathan would ever leave me.. forever. We are still so young, with so many things ahead of us. He even told me in his last letter that he met someone special. And now.._ _December 25, 1942._

#####  ___I’ve been so stupid. It’s Levi’s birthday today. So despite my sorrow, I pulled myself out of the basement and went to his room. The door was unlocked and I just let myself in. Levi was sitting on the edge of his bed with his hands clasped over his knees, his head bowed down. I wished him a happy birthday but he never answered me._

#####  ___Something in me just snapped. The tension, frustration, and grief that had been boiling just under the surface simply spiraled out of control and I lashed out at him. As I stood there breathing heavily, I realized something was very wrong. Levi had not budged one inch or shown any sign that he was even listening to me._

#####  ___“Levi?”_

#####  ___I crouched down in front of him and peered up at his face. His expression sent a chill down my spine. He was simply staring at the floor, his sharp raven eyes now dull and lifeless. It was as if his soul had vacated his body and that terrified me._ _From the corner of my eyes, I saw something white on the floor, just the edge of it jutting out from under the bed. Looking back at Levi, I slowly reached my hands out and took it. He didn’t bat an eyelid._ _I averted my eyes to the paper that I was holding and read the cover of the envelope._ _“From Petra Ral to Levi Ackerman.”_

#####  ___My hands flew to my mouth as everything fell into place. Erwin’s condolences to TWO of us, Levi’s absence when I needed it the most.._

#####  ___We were both broken. I had been selfish and silly to think that I was the only one suffering, when in fact both of us were. Overcome with emotion, I wrapped Levi in a tight embrace, running my hands through his hair as I whispered over and over again, “I’m sorry.”_

#####  ___He never cried but I could feel his body tremble slightly against mine._ _We will get through this together._

The healing was painful and slow, but they had each other to lean on. It was a journey full of tears, heartache, and longing. A journey that brought the two closer together than ever before. Their grief was shared yet dealt with differently by the two of them. Cece made it a point to record each of her memories with Nathan in her diary, remembering him in writing as much as she could. Levi, on the other hand, chose to keep everything regarding Petra – physical items, memories – under lock and key, never to be opened.

Through time and the presence of friends as well as each other, their scars slowly faded, leaving only a dull ache that would occasionally remind them of what they lost. Their relationship, on the other hand, had grown stronger – a bond between them that none could understand. At the same time, the war seemed to be taking a turn for the better and spirits were high. The two young lovers were hopeful that soon the tide would turn against Germany and they would earn their freedom.

By July 1943, Cece was almost into her first year of hiding and with her impending birthday, enthusiasm ran high in the household. Levi had been working on a piece of craft for days at end and despite Cece’s attempt at guessing what it was – including a failed try at breaking into his bedroom, he refused to reveal it to her until the day itself.

When the 26th finally arrived, Cece could barely contain her eagerness as the three of them came into the basement with their gifts nicely wrapped. She absolutely loved the presents she received from Isabel and Farlan, giving them a huge bear hug each. By the time it came to Levi’s present, she was bouncing on her feet, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. The look on her face made Farlan and Isabel laugh and even Levi was smirking at her child-like happiness.

A loud knock on the door followed by the dreaded call “Police! Open up!” wiped the joyful expression off all their faces. With a practiced calm, everyone got to their positions – Farlan rushed up to the door while Isabel and Levi helped wipe the basement of any traces that a person was living there. Just before Levi could leave, Cece gave him a small kiss on his cheek to which Levi replied with a whispered “Wait for me”.

Smiling despite the danger of the situation, Cece positioned herself within the nook in the wall, curling up into a fetus as she waited for the police to do their random routine check-up. Since the first time in July 1942, these check-ups had happened so frequently that she knew exactly when they would search each room in the house. 

To take her mind off the atrocious sounds of their boots stomping on the ceiling, she thought of Levi’s gift. Its dimensions and the feel of the object within left her no clue as to what it could possibly be. As she concentrated on guessing the mysterious item, her curiosity only grew. The more the answer evaded her, the more it killed her inside to know what it was. If only she could take a peek at it now..

Just as the thought came to her, she heard the sound of the boots going up the staircase into the bedrooms. She knew it would take at least a good 10 minutes before they came to search the basement – enough time for her to sneak out and look at the present before hiding back in the wall again. Before her rational side could argue with her impulsive side, she was already out of her hiding place and moving towards the desk where they had hid the gifts.

Pulling the drawer open slowly, she could see Levi’s gift at the end. As she reached her fingers in, her head bumped against the shelves above, causing her to yelp. Instantly, she clamped her hand to her mouth and listened intently for any signs that the police had heard her. She waited a couple of seconds before deciding that they hadn’t. Breathing a sigh of relief, she cautiously took out the present and examined it. 

She weighed it in her hands and gave it a slight shake. Her eyebrows furrowed, still unable to ascertain the object. Curiosity got the better of her and she carefully unwrapped it. As the last piece of paper cover came off, she almost gasped in awe at the beautiful music box inside. With the advent of the war, the music box industry had gone into ruin and it was incredibly hard to lay hands on one. And this handcrafted one was worth even more. It featured a couple in the waltz position which would probably turn as the music was being played. The more she studied it, the more the couple resembled her and Levi. 

It was such a beautiful and meaningful gift to her and she almost forgot the situation she was in until she heard the basement door open and voices drifted down below. Shocked into action, she hurriedly placed the music box down and rushed back into her hole, closing the trap door shut behind her. 

Her heartbeat was racing as she heard the voices come nearer. Unlike the usual search, the people sounded terse and furious, their footsteps more hurried and with a certain sense of urgency. They seemed to be searching for something.. or rather someone. Could they have heard her yelp earlier?

As the thought paralyzed her, she could hear one of the police closing in on her hideout, rapping on each section of the wall. Tears stained her face as she gripped the end of her dress tightly, trying her best not to whimper in fear. A sharp rap on the trapdoor made her heart stop.

“Officer!”

Before she could react, her small hiding hole was bathed in light and she instinctively turned away. A pair of hands reached in and pulled her out forcefully. She clawed and punched as much as she could but resistance was futile. Once she was out, she could see half a dozen members of the police surrounding her and another two more standing by Levi. All hopes of overwhelming them immediately vanished, replaced only by fear.

As two of the police hauled her away, her gaze met with Levi’s and she could see the despair that flashed through his expression. In that moment, the thing she feared the most was that she would never see him again and it terrified her. 

“Levi..” she whispered as her hand reached out to him, trying to touch him one more time.

A scuffle broke out between Levi and his two guards and although the policemen yelled at him to stay still, he took the opportunity to run to her side.

“Wait for me, Cece-” he yelled before three men pulled him away and held a gun to his chest.

Glaring at them, he continued struggling, all the while watching Cece as they pulled her away.

“I’ll find you, I promise I will!”

Those were the final words that Cece heard before she was taken and brought to the concentration camp in Auschwitz where she spent a grueling year and a half there. Although life was tough, she kept her spirit high, documenting everything in her faithful diary that she had kept hidden in her clothes the day she was captured. By the time she wrote her last entry, her concentration camp would be liberated in two days.

#####  _November, 1944._

#####  ___…_ _Levi…._ _I’m sorry. You asked me before-_

“Genevieve Isabel Ackerman! Put your grandma Cece’s diary down and get your ass down here!”

The young girl rolled her eyes and reluctantly closed the book, returning it to the shelf upon which it rested. She glanced longingly at it one more time, wishing that she could know the ending of the last entry, before leaving her bedroom….

#####  _….whether it’s better to forget all the memories to reduce the heartache and I told you I would never do that. But you told me you would._

#####  ___I want to tell you that even if you do forget me, even if we do meet in another life, I will always remember you. I will never forget the things that have happened between us._

#####  ___Death may claim my body and my soul…._ _….but it will never take away the love that I feel for you._

#####  ___Adieu._


End file.
